Mizuki and OmniFrost walk through the doorway and enter the home, the door closing slowly behind them. You can both still see the lights and movements from outside at the window and through the various cracks in the walls, but any sounds have been muted somewhat. You still do not see your two companions, though, Mizuki, now that you have entered this room and can focus more clearly, you can hear movement in the upper story, near the ladder. The footsteps are light, small sounding rather than large feet trying to be quiet. It sounds like two pair of small feet walking slowly toward the ladder. You both hear, in the dryad's tongue -

<We are armed and terrified, and that makes for a very poor neighbor! Unless you are the gatekeeper of this hell, I would stay away, lest you see last night's dinner the hard way!>

The voice is tiny and male, not young, but rather diminutive, rather like a halfling's voice. You still see nothing coming down the ladder.

Aros and Malak -

Blind Tiber perks up.
That's another two sets of footsteps I hear! Oh... oh damn, they are fading away, just like most of the others. I suppose it must have been those friends of yours. I wonder if they can see us in any way?

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Our son won't stop doing math, honey!

Not in my house mister!!! You can differentiate all you want with your little hoodlum friends, but in here it's wild guesses and rounding errors!

I grunt and nod, attempting the second message, unsure if the stones will work without a return message between. If you can withdraw, suggest making entry through rooftop trapdoor. If cannot withdraw, perhaps a way to cross over within?

After a short moment, once the second message was sent, you hear Dar's voice:

The ladies have entered and the door is closed, leaving the stone with me. I cannot see them inside the house. What do you want -

There is obviously more that she is saying, but it is cut off.

Mizuki, Scratch is right beside you, tail wrapped around your ankle. You can hear her sniffing, quietly.

OmniFrost, you hear one of the creatures above you titter with laughter, where the first voice only snorts -

<Who are you who enters here to look for help?! I think you are mistaken. This is no wayfarer's rest, young lady!>

Despite the bravado, the creature hops down from the top of the ladder down to your floor. He is, indeed, what looks to be a halfling, though he has a feral cast to his posture. He holds a well honed flint blade in either hand. You see another face at the top of the ladder, a female, with a disarming smile and dangerous eyes. She climbs down quickly, like a spider, and stands behind and to the right of the male. She whispers, which both of you can hear - <ain't demonkin, maybe some other hell though>

He nods and then sniffs -

<I've got no answers for you, Miss. Now, why are you really here?>

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Our son won't stop doing math, honey!

Not in my house mister!!! You can differentiate all you want with your little hoodlum friends, but in here it's wild guesses and rounding errors!

The smile from my previous laughter continues to beam, "I'd have to disagree with you kind sir. Everywhere I go is a wayfarer's rest. All you need is some good tea and better company. If you'd care to join us," I motion to the floor and sit down, "We really are here to help, and find some answers."

Malak, you take your time, which will only serve you better in this endeavor. There are many tracks melting into one another, and it is very difficult to follow them at all. You do, however, catch first a glimpse, then the actual pattern of OmniFrost and Mizuki's footprints. The only way that you would be able to be sure, in fact, is that you already know these prints. For good or bad, however, they are not moving much at all, and are still (not disappeared, but still) near the ladder.

OmniFrost and Mizuki -

The man blurts out -

<Help eh? Always something in it for one you your type, always is, yes? You seek to help and to seek answers. Well, this is the web. I've yet to see the spider. Now, what can you do to help?>

The woman slaps him on the arm -

<Sit, fool! Even devils know hospitality, lest yer marrow isn't even a snack. She's giving us water, damn it all. That's not a light gesture, and you know it.>

She spits in her own hand and sticks it out in greeting -

<I'm Mab.>

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Our son won't stop doing math, honey!

Not in my house mister!!! You can differentiate all you want with your little hoodlum friends, but in here it's wild guesses and rounding errors!

Mizuki will notice a faint tracing of an odd pictogram that she does not recognize. It appears right in front of where OmniFrost is. OmniFrost is too caught up in the new aquaintance to notice the dirt drawing.

Mab nod happily at OmniFrost, and smiles at Mizuki -
<It isn't often we get outsiders here. Oh, don't worry, you don't have the look of sunscorch to you. I'm not some soothsayer.>

She laughs loudly at her joke, while the male looks decidedly uncomfortable.
<I'm very happy to meet you both. This is my mate, Boc, who, for all intents and purposes, is not actually with us lately. He's not used to... to the walls.>

Aros, while Malak attempts to communicate with the girls, Tiber speaks up.
So, what do you plan now? Your companions are right next to us, yet farther away than a continent. How do you proceed? I've long since given up.

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Our son won't stop doing math, honey!

Not in my house mister!!! You can differentiate all you want with your little hoodlum friends, but in here it's wild guesses and rounding errors!

Mizuki, it is definitely a purposeful symbol of some sort. It is more direct than a wayfarer's mark, and is likely a character of some language you don't know. In fact, your memory serves you well, and while you've never seen this character, you think that you have seen a similar mark on OmniFrost's hand once.

Mab watches OmniFrost make the tea, and marvels and the ritual aspect of it.

<Smells good. You put leaves in, but it doesn't smell like a bog. This is a day's water here, heated up and given to us. Many thanks Miss OmniFrost.>

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Our son won't stop doing math, honey!

Not in my house mister!!! You can differentiate all you want with your little hoodlum friends, but in here it's wild guesses and rounding errors!

These women we travel with are no less resourceful than ourselves, I inform Tiber. We shall wait and see if Malak's plan is fruitful; either way, I believe that the only way out from here -- at least, that is open to us -- is to descend into the 'cellar' where the chain devil lurks.

I will not ask you to accompany us, since that is a desperate move, and I cannot guarantee even our own safety, let alone yours. But know that if you decide to come with us, Malak and I will do the best we can to keep you safe.

I look up at Malak to see if he has had any success.

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"thank that Doombot guy for making you grow a beard. You looked like an idiot without one." -- treehouse's wifeThe Gold Standard for Creepy - .9999 pure.

I scratch my head and point to other tracks across from those of Omni, Probably too busytalking to one of those to notice yet, give her a few. I chuckle ruefully, Unless you want to risk bloody shorts again...